Unfortunately, medication errors do happen occasionally. We're all human and humans make mistakes. However, we can't rely on the healthcare professionals to catch the medication errors. We, as consumers, have to protect ourselves.
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Medication errors can happen in the hospital, when you get your prescription filled at the pharmacy, mail order pharmacy, online pharmacy, or after you've returned home from the pharmacy and you've begun taking the medication.
Depending on the medication error, the result can be harmless, it can cause further illness, or it can be deadly. Therefore, it is in your best interest to know your medications, learn how and when to take them, what the effects and side effects are, and to check and double-check.
Here are a few tips to help prevent medication errors:
Inspect Your Medication
When you receive your medication from the pharmacy, check it out. Look at its appearance: color, shape, markings. Smell it. Does it look or smell differently? Does it smell very unpleasant? If it's liquid, is the amount in the tube, vial, or syringe the amount you expected? If your medication is in pill form, is there more or less than expected? Are the directions on the bottle different than what the doctor told you in the office? (Test your memory with the Drug Concentration Game.)
Double-Check Your Medication's Name
Many drugs sound alike and are spelled similarly. Be sure to double-check that the medication your doctor told you he or she was prescribing is, in fact, the drug you picked up from the pharmacy.
Save Package Inserts / Wrappings
Don't throw away the package insert or outer wrapper that held your medication. You may need this for dosing instructions and for information about contraindications - what drugs should not be used in conjunction with the medication.
Question Price Changes
If the cost of your medication was different than the last time you purchased it, question it! You may find that it is the wrong medication. One man went to pick up his prescription for Allegra. When he was charged $450, he questioned the pharmacy and found out they gave him Viagra!
Inform Your Doctor About Other Medications
Tell your doctor about ALL the medications you are taking: prescription and over-the-counter, including nutritional supplements and herbal remedies. If you do not tell your doctor about ALL the medications you are taking, you may be risking a bad drug interaction.
Show Your Armband
When hospitalized, be sure healthcare professionals check your arm band before administering your medication. This is the most common cause of medication errors in hospitals. Don't be shy or worry about what he or she might think about your questioning of them. This is your life we're talking about!
Make A List of Your Medications
Before leaving the hospital, go over your list of medications with your doctor, including dosing information. Make a list and take any notes that will help you when you get home. Have the doctor check the list or write the list for you.
Tell Your Doctor About Medication Allergies
Be sure to tell your doctor about any allergies you may have to medication. You should remind him of this again when you go over your list with him before leaving the hospital.
Handle Sample Medications Carefully
Samples do not come with instructions on the packaging or other important information you may need. If you doctor gives you samples, he will typically write the instructions for you. Place those instructions in the package, if possible, or wrap them around the package with a rubberband.
Do Not Physically Alter Your Medication
Never chew, crush, break or mix a medication without checking with your doctor first. Many medications have special release mechanisms that can be altered or destroyed when the drug is manipulated in any way.
Use the Proper Measuring Device
Be sure to use the measuring device that came with your liquid medication to avoid dosing errors. If your prescription orders 5ml (which is equal to a teaspoon), it is important to use the dropper that came with your medication for dispensing instead of pouring out a teaspoonful.
Check Medication Expiration Dates
Throw away any medications that have exceeded the expiration date. Expiration dates have been established by the pharmaceutical manufacturer through studies. They do what is called stability studies to determine how long a drug can sit in certain conditions without losing its effectiveness and causing safety issues.How to Manage Your Medications
Source: ismp.org